Envelop-feeding machine.



D. G. SAUNDERS, JR.

ENVELOP FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1. 1914.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

THE NORRIS PETERS Cc;vv F'HOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON, D. cu

DANIEL G. SAUNDERS, JR., OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

ENVELOP-FEEDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr, 2Q, 1915.

Application filed April 1, 1914. Serial No. 828,740.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DANIEL G. SAUNDERS, J r.,a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the countyof Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Envelop-Feeding Machines; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

My invention relates to envelop feeding machines, and more particularlyto a retarder for use in connection with envelop forwarding mechanism,to insure the advancement of envelops singly to flap moistening andsealing parts; the principal ob ject of the invention being to provide aretarder which will permit the advancement of a single envelop but willhold or retard other envelops until a preceding one has passed theretarding member. In accomplishing this object, I have provided improveddetails of structure; the preferred.

forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure I is a perspective view of part of an envelop sealing machine,particularly illustrating my improved retarder, only enough of the mainmachine being illus trated to give an understanding of the use of thepresent improvements. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the forwarder andretarder with the guide parts removed, illustrating the preferredarrangement of the parts relative to the table. Fig. 111 is a detail perspective view of the slit retarder lip. Fig. 1V is a perspective view ofthe retarder, illustrating its use with a forwarding belt.

Referring more in detail to the parts: 1 designates a table upon whichenvelops to be fed into the machine may be stacked, and 2 a guide railover which the envelops are adapted to travel.

Revolubly mounted above the table 1 is a horizontal forwarding roller 3,preferably comprising a rubber or like friction-inducing band f, theperiphery of which is adapted to travel adjacent the edge of the tableor the path of the envelops from the table to the guide rail 2.

Pivotally mounted adjacent the forwarding roller is an arm 6 having itsfree end 7 turned toward the forwarding roller and forwardly in the lineof feed, and provided with a flexible lip 8; the free end of whichprojects beyond the end of the carrying arm and terminates adjacent theperiphery of the forwarding roller; the end 7 of the carrying arm beinginclined and the lip 8 being flat, so that when in its inclined positionits free edge extends at an angle across the periphery of the horizontalroller.

When the retarder is used with the roller forwarder, the end of the lip8 is beveled, as shown in Figs. 1, H and H1, in order that it maycontact the roller over its entire end surface; it being apparent thatwith the lip set to contact the roller at or back of a perpendicularline, relative'to the table and roller, the incline of the lip wouldcarry the lower portion of its end away from the roller unless the endwere beveled, as described. ft is also apparent that if the lip issufficiently stiff, the envelops might be bent when pushed thereagainstby the forwarding roller, but that by inclining the lip, as illustrated,the end of the envelop may first contact a corner of the lip, and, as itis forwarded, may engage the full end thereof progressively; as in thismanner a part of the body of the envelop may be projected between theretarder and forwarding roller before the full tension of the lip isencountered and thereby help to pull the envelop along without throwingthe entire burden of the forwarding movement on the end of the envelop.In order to further facilitate the easy feeding of the end of theenvelop past the retarder, l. slit the free ends of the lipslongitudinally to provide individual fingers 9 thereon; each of whichmay yield independently of the other to create the pressure against theend of the envelop. 1 also preferably turn the end 7 of the carrying arm6 backwardly, or in the direction of the envelop feed, as with thisarrangement, a chute is formed, into which the envelops feed, and arethereby prevented from being deflected laterally when they contact theretarder.

In using the device, envelops are placed on the edge of the table 1 andfed to the forwarding mechanism in the stack; the periphery of theforwarding roller engaging the end envelop in the stack and carryingsame forwardly into the chute formed between the roller and thebackturned carry- When friction of the forwarding roller carbetween theretarder and forwarding roller,

- tween the; rollerand retarder,

riesthe envelop toward the lip, the end of the envelop engages the upperfree finger of the lip, pushing thisfinger out and engaging thesucceeding fingers in turn, until the body-ofthe-envelop has enteredandis conducted to the other forwarding mechanism; the other envelops inthe stack being held by the body of the retarder lip until the endenvelop has passed frombewhen the next envelop is advanced in likemanner,

'While I preferto use the horizontal roller as the forwarding member, itis apparent that a belt 11, such asrtliat shown in the I modified form(Fig. III), may be substituted therefor, and that instead of the lipengaging the forwarder it may engage the face of the plate 12, or thelike, that is arranged at one side of the forwarder, so that theenvelopsmay be advanced without wearing the forwarder or retarder bydirect contact of these partswith each other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim'as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. The combination with a forwarding member, of an inclined retarderhaving a free edge arranged in proximity to the forwarder, and adaptedfor progressive engagement by the edge of an envelop as the latteradvances therealong.

2. The combination with a forwarding member, of: a retarder having aflexible contact portion arranged at an incline relative tovthe axis ofthe forwarding member.

of the way 7 3. The combination with a revoluble forwarder, of aretarder inclined longitudinblly and transversely relative to the axisof the retarder. l

4. The combination with a forwarder, of a retarder having a flexiblefree end located adjacent the forwarder and inclined across theface ofand rearwardly relative to said forwarder.

5. The combination with a forwarder, of a retarder comprising a flexiblemember inclined across the line of travel of an article advanced by theforwarder and inclined toward the-line of travel.

6. The combination with a forwarder, of a retarder comprising a singlepiece of flexible material having a free end slit longitudinally to formindividual contact fingers, and inclined across the plane of travel ofan article advanced by the forwarder, whereby the article may contactthe several lingers of the retarder progressively as the article isadvanced.

7. The combination with a forwarder having' a friction-inducingperiphery, of a yieldable arm having a backturned free end directedtoward the retarder, a flexible lip on said arm having a free endarranged at an incline to the axis of the retarder, and slit to formindividual fingers, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL G. SAUNDERS, JR.

Witnesses LYNN A. RoBINsoN, L. E. CoATs.

G'opies of thisipatent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' I WashingtomD. G.

